Match-safe and automatic lighter



(No Model.)

F. S. BALLARD..

. MATCH SMB AND AUTUMATIG LIGHTER. NO. 396,135. Paten ed Jan. l5, 1889.

ABf- WJ 7 //l N. PETERS, PhonLilhograplwrv Washingmn. D. C.

NITED STATES FRANK s. BALLARD, or

ATENT Fries.

BURLINGTON, VERMONT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 396,135, dated January15, 1889.

Application filed April 2l, 1888. Serial No. 271,373. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, FRANK S. BALLARD, a citizen of the United States,residing at Burlington, in the county of Chittenden and State ofVermont7 have invented certain new and useful Improvements inMatch-Safes and Automatic Lighters, of which the following' is aspecification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to improvements in match-safes and automaticlighters; and it consists in the combination and arrangement of parts,which will be more fully described hereinafter, and pointed out in theclaims.

In carrying my invention into operation I preferably use that class ofmatches which are either manufactured in blocks, in which the matchesare not entirely unseparated at one of their ends and a row of thesematches placed in the safe unseparated, or that class of matches wherethey are cemented in rows to a card. By this means a row of matches isplaced in the safe, saving the trouble of placin them one at atime inplace.

The objects of my invention are, Afirst, to provide a safe in which acard of matches may be placed ready for instant use without the labor offirst splitting them apart g second, to so arrange the matches in thesafe that it shall be impossible to use more than one at a time,whichshall be automatically lighted, thus avoiding' the u nnecessary wastewhich attends the use of ordinary match-holders, and, third, to soconstruct the operative mechanism that it shall be of the simplest andcheapest character consistent with the successful operation of thedevice, and easily reached for pur- 'poses of adjust-ment or repair.

In the device shown in the drawings similar letters indicate like partsthroughout the several views.

In the drawings, Figure l is an edge view of a safe embodying myinvention. Fig. 2 is a side elevation partly broken away. Fig. 3 is adetached perspective of the knife and follower. Fig. a is a longitudinalsection through the slide B.

A is a case made of any suitable material. It is designed to contain theoperating meehanism which automatically presents the card of matchesinclosed therein to the separating l device, by the downward movement ofwhich each match is severed from the card or split apart, and is thenautomatically forced upward with such rapidity, by means of aspringaetuated follower, that its head or dipped end is brought intofrictional contact with arough surface, thereby producing immediatecombustion. The match thus ignited is held lighted ready for convenientuse.

B is a slide designed to move laterally in a slot, o, across the upperpart of the case A. Its lower extremity when in position rests andslides upon a recessed shoulder, (l, formed upon the upper interior faceof the transverse support C. Slide B is moved backward by means of thehand-knob e in its upper end, which projects above the top of the caseA. It is forced :liorward automatically vby the spring-actuated bifurcated lever I), in contact with the fixed pin in the projection g,which is secured across its interior face in such a manner as to preventany tipping of the slide B when in motion, as the movement of theprojection is confined between the upper and lower edges ol the recessl) across the support C.

E is a metallic rod which terminates in the hooked knife :rf at itsupper extrei'nity.

The lever D is pivoted at its lower end to the interior face ol theframe A, and is forced which engages its lower end below the pivotalpoint. Vhen the slide B is moved inward to allow matches to be placed inthe case, the upper end of the lever D, which engages the slide, is alsomoved inward against the tension of the spring M.

The kniferod E and its accompanying follower Il are secured to the baseF, which moves perpendicularly in the groove G at the side of the case,the movement of the rod and follower being con fined to their respectivegrooves 7L and i. The base F is depressed by means of the knob or handleI, operating through th e perpendicular slot in the face of the case A,the spring .I serving to return it to place as soon as the hand isremoved from the knob. The act of depressing' the knob I forces down thebase F, and with it thekniferod E and the follower H, the knife a'severing the end match of the card as it descends or splits them apart,according to whether outward at its upper end bythe spring M,-

IOO

niatehes whieh are formed in blocks or which are secured to a card arebeing` operated upon. As soon as the knife and :follower descend belowthe slide on whieh the eard of matches rests, the mateh that restedagainst the side of the follower when in its normal position lnftween itand the knife, and which was sei'iarated from the eard or split by theknife from the bloek as it was foreed downward between it and the bloekof matches, is foreed outward over the end of the follower by thespring-aetuaied lever l), aetingl upon the sliding hloek :3, that bearsagainst the inner side of the block or card. The block or eard beingeonstantl y foreed mitwzinfd by the si )1i11gaetuated lever l), itbrings another mateh between the knife .r and the follower in positionto be separated from the other matches by the knife as it is forceddown. The pressure upon the knob I then being removed, the base l? is atonee rapidly foreed upward by the aetion of the spring J, the followerll pushing before it the severed match with sueh foree that as its headis brought into 'frietional ijfontaet with the rough surfaee of thelighter YL it is thereby ignited, the mateh being` held between thelighter and the spring 'm below, whenee il eau be readily re moved, ifdesired.

\\'l1at l elaim, and desire to seeure by LetA 1ers Patent, is-

l. l'n a mateh-box, the eombination, with a ease adagjiied to reeeive aeard or bloek of matches, of a spring-actuated slide for foreing thematehes forward, a vertically-movin base, a knife seeured thereto whichpasses between the matehes and severs them as it is foreed down, and afollower whieh is aiflapted to deseeml below the matehes and to forcethem outward when it aseeuds, substantially as desoribed.

2. In a match-box adapted to receive a card of matches, the combinationof a spring-actuated slide for foreing the matehes forward, avertieally-moving base, a follower for forcing the matches outof thebox, secured thereto at. its lower end, and a vertieally-moving knifefor severing the matches placed inside of the follower the `width of amatch, whereby it Vin the proper position to sever it when forced down,substantially as shown.

f. In a matehbox, the combination, with the ease provided with groovesin one edge thereof, of the base, follower, and knife moving therein,the spring-aetuated slide for foreiug the matches forward, and a springwhieh. engztges the base and foi-ees it upward when released, the knifeand the follower being se Cured to thebase at their lower ends, wherebythey both move together in their proper relative positions,substantially as set forth.

et. In a match-l x adapted to receive matt-.hes and automatieally foreethem out lighted, the combination of a spring-aetuated slide for feedingthe matehes forward, a springaetuated follo\\'er for forcing them upwardout of the box, the spring-lighter L, and the spring fm, both securedtothe ease at their lower ends, just a-bove the exit of the match, andAbetween whieh the mateh is held, substantii'illy as specified.

In testi mouy whereof Ido aftix my sign ature in presenee of twowitnesses.

FRAK ti. BALLARD.

W itnesses:

HENRY Hai; man, UHAnLEs E. ALLEN.

